Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt
by Shnazzee
Summary: He mentioned darkness… and cold… That's how I felt. Dark and cold in an infinite black void with no hope. And the fear… It isn't just here, it's everywhere. This place is made of fear. I don't think this is what happened to him. There is no light… No moon… I don't know what to expect, but… For some reason, I can only imagine the worst. (JamiexOC)
1. Help

_**Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt**_

He mentioned darkness… and cold… That's how I felt. Dark and cold in an infinite black void with no hope. And the fear… It wasn't just there, it was everywhere. This place was _made_ of fear. I don't think this is what happened to him. There is no light… No moon… I don't know what to expect, but… For some reason, I can only imagine the worst. There is nothing in this place but a heavy atmosphere laced with every negative feeling a person could have… I want it to stop. I want happiness and joy and laughter. I want to remember… But I can't. This place- this fear-won't let me. I know they're there… My memories, deep within my mind. Please… Someone take me back… Back to my light.


	2. Back to the Beginning

_Eight Months Previous_

"Come on, hun! We've still got a lot to get inside!" my father calls from downstairs. The excitement in his voice is practically tangible as his words carry up to my room.

"Alright, Dad! I know! I'll be down in a sec!" I reply, letting out a small, tired, sigh as I set down the fifth box of my various belongings that I've brought up to my new room. A small smile works its way across my lips as I look at the open space before me. The room's plain walls and lack of character is going to be short lived and I'll make sure of that.

"Oh, do I have plans for you," I say to my new bedroom. Purple. And white and black. Those three colors will be everywhere. A mirage of my future, finished living space swirls in my mind and my imagination takes over. I—

"Jules? You coming back down to Earth anytime soon?" I hear my dad call, again. He chuckles as he waits for my response, but, instead, I decide to meet him halfway and hurry to the top of the stairs.

"Sorry! What is it you need?"

"Could you please help your mother? She's being… well, she's being Mom. Do you mind?" A sheepish smile accompanied with an innocent shrug.

"Always gotta make me do the dirty work, huh?" I joke with a playful smile, quickly making my way down the stairs and towards the front door. Mom being Mom is my cue to step up my game. I jog down to the driveway and over to my mother who is frantically trying to direct the movers.

'Oh- Oh! Please, be careful with that! You might scratch the—Wait! No, don't slide that on the ground! You'll—AH!" Her panic is sent to a whole new level when an unpleasant crash of glass can be heard from inside the house.

"Julie, stay here, will you…!?" My mom demands more than asks. "Rob?! What happened?! What broke?!" she questions relentlessly as she rushes inside. Gosh, I love her, but sometimes she's just too much... I shrug 'Why not' and turn to the movers with a more pleasant expression.

"Hey, guys, if you could just get everything out? Then we'll focus on getting it in the house later. Sound good?" I smile. The movers all nod and agree with my instructions, seeming pleased at the simple task.

Several hours later, my new room is almost finished except for several items that depend. Paint, posters, and stars are all that remain. A bit tired from a long day of going in and out of our new home, a comfortable fresh bed seems extremely irresistible. On my way over, I grab a box of unopened glow in the dark stars from my desk then pounce onto the springy mattress that is now dressed in my bed sheets from the old house. I lean back against my mountain of pillows and stare up at a plain ceiling. The now setting sun pours orange light through my window and I can't help but wonder how my new life will be. Sure, I had to leave some friends behind, but… I'll still talk to them. …I hope… I shake my head. Don't think like that. Negativity is a no-go. At least… that's what my parents say. Time to—Time to… uh… What time is it, anyway? I turn my head to the nightstand next to my bedframe and glance at the clock. Quarter to eight… The Chinese Take-Out for dinner begins stirring in my stomach. Boy, I'm full… I look back at the unopened package of stars in my hand. '400 Glow-In-The-Dark Stars!' the packaging says.

"Wow… Now that'll be a project…" I smile, thinking about it. Making something my own- making it unique… That always makes me happy. Who the boring darkness when you can have 400 stars shining dimly to keep you company? Not too bright to keep me up but just enough to give my room a special feeling.

"Feeling nostalgic?" a voice comes from my doorway. I look to see my mother smiling softly at me. She walks over to my bed and sits on the edge, looking at my stars. It's true. I am feeling nostalgic. Truth be told, my old room had the stars. I just couldn't bear to part with them. To answer my mother, I smile and nod.

"Don't worry, sweetie…" she kisses my forehead after brushing away my bangs. "Life here will seem normal in no time. Why, you're dad still works the same hours doing what he did before! And with the way you are, I know you'll make some great new friends here, too… Just wait… You'll see," my mother comforts.

"Thanks, mom… I-I know… I'm actually sort of excited… I mean, yeah, I miss everyone, but… with college in two years… wasn't this going to happen anyway?" I say, trying to make light of the situation. "Besides. I'll still keep in touch." My mother smiles and lightly runs her fingers through my hair before standing up and leaving- her silent way of saying I'm growing up way to fast. I grin and shake my head before calling out a 'goodnight!'

"Night, hun! Don't stay up too late!" My dad replies. He smiles as he walks by my door towards his and my mom's room.

Unable to stop the oncoming yawn, I add a good stretch before sitting up and rolling off the bed to get dressed for the night. It may be early, but… It's been a long day. I toss the stars on my dresser and pull down the blinds on my windows before digging through my suitcase of clothes for a tank top and some shorts. When I finally lay down again, I can feel a wave of exhaustion wash over me. I curl up and sink into the soft familiar scent of my pillows and bedding.

"Mmm… Sweet dreams…"


	3. Oh, Crap

The next morning I'm waking up to the sound of my father calling me down for breakfast. I can smell the French toast and sausage from here along with my dad's coffee. The scent of breakfast goes straight through me and my stomach lets out a low grumble.

"Yeah, yeah, Bubba, I hear ya," I groan as I roll out of bed and lazily slip my robe on. As I pass my mirror when I walk out of my bedroom, I catch a glance at my hair. It's a mess of fly-aways, loose curls, waves, and frizz. Hm. Rough night. Apathetically, I run my fingers through my hair several times as I slowly trudge down the stairs.

"Mornin'…" I greet through a yawn. "I smelt food." I smiled lazily with my eyes closed, knowing that the bright light would burn my eyes right now due to my still-dilated pupils.

"Ahh, so you decided to grace us with you presence, finally?" my mother asks sarcastically, a small smirk on her lips.

"Yep. Because I'm just that generous. You should praise me and reward me by giving my food. Like that French toast," I joke back, going and grabbing a couple slices. I work my way around the kitchen, grabbing butter, a fork, butter knife, and syrup. I coat the breakfast food with butter before drowning the bread in syrup. Before I forget, I go and grab a sausage link off the serving plate and take a bite.

"Thanks for breakfast," I say as I start to dig in. Just a day later and it's already starting to feel like home.

It's noon, now, and I've already showered for the day. With my parents organizing the first floor of the house, I have a whole afternoon to explore my new town. I guess the neighborhood is a good place to start. Before I head downstairs, I quickly pin up my calendar and cross of today's date, June 16th. I then grab my phone and head down to the garage where, hopefully, my bike should be. I shut the door to the garage behind me and slip my phone into the back pocket of my jeans.

"Open says me!" I say as I hit the garage opener and begin searching for my bike. Well. That's funny. The sight of my bike escapes me and I'm left wondering if it could possibly be hiding behind a clutter of boxes and other things that haven't been properly introduced to the house. With a sigh I decide to get to work and start digging around behind the clutter.

"Ah-ha! Found you, you little—w-woah..!"

Oh, crap.


	4. Jamie

_Jamie's POV_

"I'll be back soon, Mom! I'm going out for a walk with Abby!" I call as I head out the door, holding it open for Abby as she bounds outside.

"Alright, Jamie! Be careful, okay? Oh! Why don't you go say hello to the neighbors?" she replies from the living room.

"Sure, Mom!" I acknowledge her as I follow Abby, both of us heading for the sidewalk and towards the next block over. Apparently they're a small family of only three- a husband, wife and daughter. My mom has actually spoken to the wife, Mary Ann, already. According to her, the family seems to be fairly nice people. I'm happy to meet them though. I hope they don't mind... It's always nice to meet new people, in my opinion. I just hope they think likewise.

Abby barks at me before running ahead and then running back behind me, sniffing for anything that catches her attention. Her excitement makes me smile and she bolts ahead, barking as if she's waiting for something.

"Alright, alright! I get it!" I say. I pick up a stick and, as we turn the corner onto the new family's street, I throw it down several houses. Abby barks and sprits after the piece of wood like her life depends on it, leaving me behind. I jog to catch up with her as she runs back to me with the stick in her mouth.

"Alright, give it here, girl!" I say as I grab the stick and shake it easily from her teeth. I throw it again and, just after Abby sprints off, a loud crash comes from two houses down. I jog over to the open garage the sound came from only to realize it's the new family's house. Inside I can see a girl surrounded by several fallen boxes and the belongings that must have been inside them. Curious if she's okay, I make my way up the driveway.

"Excuse me? Are you alright? I heard the crash, and..." I trail off and I can't hold back a small laugh at her predicament. She's got a box over her head and when she hears my voice, she jumps. Within seconds, she's got the box off her head and she's standing. I can see her face turn pink slightly.

"I'm fine! Just, uh... Little... Minor set back..." she mumbles, her eyes trailing toward the apparently new mess before focusing on me again, a smile on her face.

"Uhm... Would you like some help...?" I offer, hoping she'll let me. Her smile softens with what seems to be relief and she nods.

"Thanks... I just... I was trying to dig my bike out of this catastrophe..." she says, turning back to start picking things up and placing them back into boxes. I join her and start picking up and placing the clutter into boxes as well. I pick up a very small pillow and I can't help but notice it's unusual design. A small pocket is sown to the bottom right corner with a small message: 'Tooth Pillow for the Tooth Fairy" The grin on my face has to be noticeable because images of Toothiana and the other Guardians begin to flood my thoughts. Jack, North, Bunnymund, Sandman, Tooth... I miss them. I still see them now and again (even some more than once a year). I'll never stop believing. Not since the night we all stood up to the Boogeyman, Pitch Black.

"Oh, that thing?" my thoughts are interrupted with her soft laugh of nostalgia interrupts my thoughts. I blink several times and look up at her to see her smiling at the pillow.

"I remember how I couldn't wait to lose a tooth so could use that pillow. It never failed. I'd fall asleep with a tooth in there and wake up with a coin in it's place," she explained, her eyes distant and happy. I smiled wide. Could she possibly still believe...?

" Do you still believe in her?" I ask curiously.

"What...? That the tooth fairy exists? Nah... I know now it was parents. Same with Santa and all the others..." she half smiles at me but she looks disappointed. My smile falls slightly, but... I should have suspected.

"I do believe though... In a way, I guess," she adds, shrugging. I look at her with small hope in my eyes.

"What do you mean?" I wonder, intrigued about hr thoughts, now. She takes the pillow from me slowly and smiles at it.

"They're spirits, to me, at least... Something of childhood remembrance or a representation of the seasons..." she laughs. "Silly, huh..?" she asks as she tosses the pillow into a box and begins cleaning up again.

"No... Not silly. It makes sense," I smile at her. " I like it. ...You know... I still believe," I shrug, continuing to help pick up.

"Really? You really do believe, still?" she questions innocently, seeming pleasantly surprised.

"Yeah, of course...! Santa, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, Sandman, Jack Frost... I believe in all of them. I don't think I ever couldn't" I confess. I can feel blood flush to my cheeks. Fifteen years old and telling someone you hardly even know that you believe in the Guardians? Sometimes it's better to keep that to yourself, Jamie Bennet.

"That's fine. You believe in something. Nothing's wrong with believing in something..." she says as we both place some of the last of her belongings into a box. We smile at each other with respect and I think I can see a new friendship forming. She's pretty interesting... Maybe...

" Hey, would you-" just as I'm about to ask if I could join her on her bike ride, Abby comes up barking and whining and bouncing around for attention.


End file.
